How rich do you have to be to live in McLean, Great Falls or Vienna?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the most rich people.

Mclean is big and has variety of housing in different price ranges, from condos and THs to sprawling estates on multiple acres and everything in between. GF isn't uniform either and there are tons of older homes there too. You don't need to be rich, but all these areas are affluent, and so is Vienna.

The question is what your ego requires, OP. Do you need to own a nicer home and feel like you are the "top of the food chain" in your neighborhood, or are you secure and comfortable living in a TH, or a modest home that some of your neighbors may consider a teardown. To be on "top of the food chain" in Mclean and GF you do need to have a lot more in terms of HHI or already have some accumulated wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean is changing as more young families move into the area. I have noticed a positive difference in the two years I have lived in McLean. It still has a long way to go, but if you find the location convenient and a house you like you should go for it.

To OP's point most of them are affluent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of these towns are rich towns. They just have relatively high incomes.

There are small areas in McLean and Great Falls that are truly rich.

What's a rich town to you? Atherton, CA? Aspen, CO? LOL, these are uber rich towns. DC isn't resplendent in such wealth, so any town that has a large enough percent of homes in multi-millions would be considered "rich" even if other mixed housing options are available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our HHI is between 250k-400k+
We are both well educated at good schools and have lived abroad. We aren’t too showy and do not come from wealthy families. We are looking for a nice single family home in a nice neighborhood with good schools. McLean has the best schools but I’m worried about being the “poor” family in an otherwise very rich area. What about Vienna?

Which would be a good fit for us?

Live wherever you want, everyone is paying their own bills. You don't need to care who is living it up but has 10% home equity and car payments and who is driving Toyota but has a paid off house and cars.

[Anonymous]

NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the median household income in mclean is just over 200k

That’s probably because of all of the old people who live in McLean and aren’t working any more.

Mclean has always been on the old side. No shortage of retired people, no shortage of locals.

Consider Vienna, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

Which part of McLean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our HHI is between 250k-400k+
We are both well educated at good schools and have lived abroad. We aren’t too showy and do not come from wealthy families. We are looking for a nice single family home in a nice neighborhood with good schools. McLean has the best schools but I’m worried about being the “poor” family in an otherwise very rich area. What about Vienna?

Which would be a good fit for us?

We earn almost $300K per year. Live in Great Falls and it is great. There are plenty of neighborhoods with homes $1M - $1.5M (and more of course). There is a nice village and lots of small town activities. Very small town feel. I love it!

Agree 100% with this. Great Falls has a great sense of community and feels very much like a small town (in the good way). I have never gotten the sense that people here are materialistic or care at all about others' income/wealth/etc

Not buying it - it's very spread out and most people who live in Great Falls know few of their neighbors. And it is very materialistic, as evidenced by the huge houses and the fact that the main get-together for which GF is known is a spot where people show up on the weekends in their Ferraris, Porsches, and Lamborghinis.

I know all my neighbors. I pretty much can’t go to Starbucks or the other coffee shop without running into a friend.

I also know people in Great Falls who’ve never met the people living on the same street a few houses apart.

Some people are okay with that, especially after living lived in other VA suburbs.

OP, the answer is, it depends on commute, and what kind of people you want to be around.

Agree with PP that different parts of McLean attract different types of people.

Great Falls gives you space.

Vienna might be more similar people, so to speak. ie: homes built at the same time (whether new or old), etc., and more young families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our HHI is between 250k-400k+
We are both well educated at good schools and have lived abroad. We aren’t too showy and do not come from wealthy families. We are looking for a nice single family home in a nice neighborhood with good schools. McLean has the best schools but I’m worried about being the “poor” family in an otherwise very rich area. What about Vienna?

Which would be a good fit for us?

Live wherever you want, everyone is paying their own bills. You don't need to care who is living it up but has 10% home equity and car payments and who is driving Toyota but has a paid off house and cars.

THIS. You can drive around Bethesda, for example, and see beautiful houses built in the last decade where there is a beater car in the driveway (e.g., a 15 year old Corolla). I always imagine that those are the folks who DGAF what others think and are good with their money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our HHI is between 250k-400k+
We are both well educated at good schools and have lived abroad. We aren’t too showy and do not come from wealthy families. We are looking for a nice single family home in a nice neighborhood with good schools. McLean has the best schools but I’m worried about being the “poor” family in an otherwise very rich area. What about Vienna?

Which would be a good fit for us?

Live wherever you want, everyone is paying their own bills. You don't need to care who is living it up but has 10% home equity and car payments and who is driving Toyota but has a paid off house and cars.

THIS. You can drive around Bethesda, for example, and see beautiful houses built in the last decade where there is a beater car in the driveway (e.g., a 15 year old Corolla). I always imagine that those are the folks who DGAF what others think and are good with their money.

1) I also love to drive around looking at houses and considering the cars in the driveways and thinking about what the people think about what I think about them
2) sometimes people let employees park in the driveway, which can throw me off
3) you can just ring the doorbell, explain what you’re doing and ask if the car belongs to the owner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

Which part of McLean?

South of 123

[Anonymous]

our HHI is 450K to 500k and we live very comfortably in Vienna. We chose a newer house with big lot and enjoy the freedom here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

Which part of McLean?

South of 123

There are plenty of multi-million dollar homes south of 123 and also smaller older homes. Location doesn't tell you anything. Wealthier people live in larger new homes, poorer people live in small old homes unless they are the minimalist "millionaire next door types", but for the sake of generalization, let's realize that those who could buy large new homes would buy them, and those who end up in older small homes obviously have lower income/networth for the most part, excluding humble millionaire minority. The whole conversation about areas is moot. One can live in a 3mil home in Vienna or one can live in a 1.2 mil home in Mclean, which person is likely to be wealthier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

How do you know so much about what your friends make? I was always taught not to talk about money. It’s like asking a woman’s weight. OP, who cares about “HHI” if you can comfortably afford the house and like the neighborhood. Unless it’s like, the worst house in the neighborhood and that makes you resentful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We moved to McLean 5 years when our HHI was $350K and the home we bought was $1.1M. The house is now worth around $1.5M based on comps on our street, so its been a good investment like many homes in Northern Virginia. Based on our personal experience there are a number of people in the area that work for the CIA, State Department, some lawyers, doctors, and the occasional lobbyist - but also a good number of people that work for Fed Gov agencies, consultants, accountants, and such.

Primary reasons we moved were: 1) the schools as we have two ES age children, 2) a larger house, and 3) a relatively short commute to work downtown. We have no regrets.

We considered homes in Falls Church, Vienna and we have friends and family that live in both. Each area has its own pros/cons but it really boils down to personal preferences/priorities, we think they are all great options. We've made a lot of great friends in our neighborhood, families from our sons baseball team, girl scouts, the pool/swim team. The HHI among our group of friends definitely ranges from probably $300K to $1M, though I think only a few of them are north of $600K.

We all enjoy each others company and get together often. I think you have to know yourself, and decide if it will really bother YOU to be around some people that make more. But again, in our experience, their HHI doesn't dictate what type of people they are.

How do you know so much about what your friends make? I was always taught not to talk about money. It’s like asking a woman’s weight. OP, who cares about “HHI” if you can comfortably afford the house and like the neighborhood. Unless it’s like, the worst house in the neighborhood and that makes you resentful.

Can't you just look at prices and see what you can afford on your income/savings, and what prices generally are? Nobody will know what you are making and how much wealth you have just looking at your house, and it's not always a reflection of wealth, but home prices are a good generalization of who can afford the area. If 60-80% of homes cost over 2-3 mil you are looking at an area filled with a lot of high earners or higher NW families. Retired people who bought ages ago, small handlful of humble millionaire next door types, or those overstretching and house poor won't skew these statistics much.